Dividing head



Sbept. 25, R923.

J. A. POITRAS DIVIDING HEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed F'eb. 26 1921 Sep.25, 1923. .1,469,05

J. A. POITRAS DIVIDING HEAD Filed Feb. 26 1921 '4 Sheets-Sheet 2 nl lQN, 11N

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Sept. 25 1923. 4

J. A. PolTRAs DIVIDING- HEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 26. 1921 Sept.25, w23.

J. A. POITRAS DIVIDING HEAD 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 26 1921 ,ydcozfn www@ -m E. W vf w ffm Patented Sept. Z5, i923.'

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istanti JOSEPH A, POTER-AS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

nrvrnrne HEAD.

Application led February 26, 1921. Serial No. 448,218.

To f1? Z whom t may concern 'Be it known that I, Josnrr-r A. PorrRAs, acitizen of the United States, and resident of the borough and county ofthe Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Dividing Heads, of which the following isaspecification.

My invention relates to dividing heads and has for its object to providea mechanism of this type of simple construction and efficient operationwhereby the operation of dividing a circle into predetermined divisionsis reduced to the utmost simplicity. Another purpose of my invention isto Vprovide a dividing head adapted more particularly for use incombination with milling machines and the like to successively7 adjustthe4 work for equal division as is required, for instance, in variousforms of graduating operations, gear cutting and the likef Other morespecific objects of myinvention will appear from the descriptionhereinafter, and the features of novelty will be pointed out intheappended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate aspecific embodiment of my invention without defining its limits and inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of the dividing head; Fig. Q'is anend elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line 3 3of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a. sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail faceview of the index plate; Fig. 7 is a sectional view thereof on the line,7-7 of Fig. ,6; Fig. 8 is a detail view of the locating armwhich formspart of the mechanism; Fig. 9 is a sectional view thereof on the line 99of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a detail view of a trigger which forms' part ofthe construction; Fig. 1 is a detail view of a tripping device in cludcdtherein; Fig. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 12-12 ofFig. 11; Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional. elevation on the line 13-13ofFig. 14 showinganother form of my dividing head; Fig. 14 is an endelevation thereof and Figs. 15, 16 and 1T are .detail views of the formshown in Figs. 1o and 14.

As shown in the illustrated examples, the dividing head-comprises ahead-stock casting consisting of a base and an upright .standard i6which ,terminates is constructed 17 in which a hollow shaft or spindle18 is journa-lled. vThe latter is held against lengthwise movementrelatively to the bearing 17 by means of an annular flange 19 preferablyforming an integral part of said shaft 18 and one or more spindle nuts20 screwed upon said shaft,'said spindle nuts, for instance, being split,and fixed in place by means of screws 20, as shown in Fig.Vv 4, orbeing replaced by a pair of collars 2O as illust-rated in Fig. 13. Anysuitable meansmay be provided for securing the work or blank which is to,be divided in co'- operative connection with the shaft 18, thecharacter of thismeans being determined by the work for whichthedividing head for instance, thel chuck shown in the illustratedexample may be utilized for this purpose. This chuck comprises a tube 21longitudinally split at intervals, as indicated vat 22, to form terminalgripping aws'Q having an inherent resiliency tendingto expand thesame,.said jaws being provided with inclined surfaces 24 cooperatingwith similar surfaces 25 of the shaft 18 to actuate said jaws, as willappear more fully'hereinafter. A studV 26 carried' by the shaft18Yprojects into'a key-way 27 formed on the outer periphery of thetube 21and serves to secure said tube and with it the gripping jaws to theshaft 18 without movements of said tube and jaws relatively to saidshaft.V For the purpose of operating the jaws, the inner end. of thetube is externally screw-threaded for engagement with the-internallyscrew-threaded end of a dra-w tube28 which extencs lengthwise of theshaft 18-and projects beyond the one end thereof, as shown in Fig. 4.The projecting end of said draw tube 28 carries an actuating meanswhich, in the illustrated example, is shown in the form of an oper-.interfering with the necessary lengthwise ating knob 29, the periplieryofl which is preferably knurled andiprovided at spaced intervals withrecesses 30 for the accommodation of a suitable tool wherebymanipulation of said knob is facilitated. The knob 29 is fixed upon thedraw tube 28, for insta-nce, by meansv Vof' an annular flange 31 for edthereon and a pin 32 which projects through the hub of the knob 29.vinto the draw tube 28, as illust-rated in Fig. 4.` [tl will beunderstood that the'typeofchuck mechanism Shown the flfWiHgS he@ been.

about these results. A that, duringthe movement of the handle 66 35 otthe carrier 33 and, it necessary, swung in the arc ot a circle, to bringthe locating pin 39 into registry withand into the irst aperture 431 ofthe series c; in the form be-` ing described, the rotary adjustments otthe arm 36are communicated to the shaft 18 and to the work carriedthereby, and

thus adjust the latter relatively to the mill-r ing machine which may'be of any well known type and has not been illustrated as it forms nopartot the present invention. At this time or previously thereto, thetripping member 50 is adjusted in the groove .53 to a position inregistry with the fourth tooth 43 from the cam 56 or, in other words, toa position in which three teeth 43 are between the tripping member 50and said cam 56, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this position, the indexplate 42 is coupled to the p 18 through the medium ot the index it otengagement with the teeth' 43 andL locked in this position by means ofthe'v trigger 49; in other words.` the member 54 is capable 'ot apredetermined, initial movement independent ot theishatt 18, to bringThis is due to the 'tact and 1nember`54'trom the position shown in Fig.2 to that illustrated 'vin Fig.v 3, the pawl lags behind, as it were,or, in other words, rolls along the teeth 'ot the ratchet whe-el 68until it tinally engagesg'the pin 62 and, being held thereby againstfurther relative movement, couples the member 54 and the ratchet wheel63 together. A continued movement ot the handle 66 in the indicateddirection will now cause the ratchet wheel 68 to move .with the memberl54 and to communicate its motion to the shatt 18 and.v to the arm 36which in turn, through the medium o'' the pin 89, rotatably moves theindex plate 42. The' described movement continues until the trippingmember 50 engages the trigger 49 land trips the saine to release thelatch pin 44 and permit it to again ena tooth` which having beenaccomplished, the handle V66 is actuated in a reverse direction or tothe right in 3, 'thereby similarly moving the member ln this di ,ctionot movement, the pawlO travels r the teeth oit the ratchet 63 withoutactu'- i ratchet. while tbe'cain' pacs latch pin 44 withoutdepressing`the same, sait .cam tnas .betere -l ted, .beine pin S9 and arm 86. Thehandle 66 may now.

3, in which the latch pin 44 is depressed t the teeth 4B ot theindexplate The .Y blank is thus locked in position forv cutting tree to movein this direction. it the 4saine time, the tripping member 50 is movedin al direction away troni the latch pin 44, the parts assuming theposition indicated in Fig. 2. In other words, in this operation ot themechanisim the movement ot the elen'ients 54, 60, 56 and 56 is relativeto the ratchet 63, the index plate 42, the arm 86 .and the shaft 18 withits c'o-related parts, so that the blank vdoes not partake ot thisreturn movement.- Another actuation ot" the handle 66to the leil't inFig. 3 will again operate the parts as previously described, and will tlusrot'atably advance the blank a distance corresponding tothe distancebetween tour teeth, thus bringing the blank to this new position inwhich a second tooth is cut, this second f tooth corresponding, in thefinished gear, to the fifth tooth from the one first cut. Theseoperations ot the handle 66 continued alternately tive tin'ies in theexample chosen for the purposes ot illustration. whereby a completerotation of the blank has been accomplished and twenty teeth have beencut thereon or said work has been adjusted,

to twenty successive positions for different dividing purposes. At thisstage, thel'ocating` pin 39 is'withdrawn'trom the first aper ture ot thes .ries 0: and moved to a position in which it registers with the secondaperture ot this series, This causes a corresponding movement'ot the arm86 and shaft .18 and rotatably moves the blank to a similar de'- .greewhich corresponds to the space between two adjacent teetlrfThe sameope-rations hereinbetore set forth are now proceeded with with theresult that the blank issue cessively positioned so that twentyadditional teeth or other divisions may be vout or produced upon theblank contiguous to and between the twenty teeth cut or the divisionsproduced during the first operation. The pin 39 is thereupon adjusted to.thethird aperture ot the series a; and subsequently, at he propertimes, to the fourth and tth aj'iertures tlieieot, tlie parts beingoperated lat each time to adjust Athe blankto a positionin which a newtooth is ont ror a new division is produced in proper relation to thepreceding teeth or divisions. It a hundred teeth are being rcut or thesame number ot divisions are required, the operation providesfor theadjusting ot the blank t'o five' difterent positions. in each o'iiwhichtwenty teeth or divisions are cut or produced. j

To cut ninety teeth upon the/jblank'or toy divide the saine, into ninetydivisions tor other purposes, the aiin 36 is adiusted in its carrier 35to moveV the locating pin 39 iiiwardly into registry with the apertures43 ot the series 70, after which thevoperations hereinbefore describ dare proceeded with. f

l`ll.ius,iby bringingthe pin 39 into registry with the various seriesAot apertures, it is possible to `accurately position the blank r,

'plate 42a and the ratchet are eration, the screws Sed tion @r stud otthe first either with respect to a cutting mechanism or with otherdevices for the purpose of cutting any desired number ot teeth on theperiphery there-oi or for dividing said blank into divisions foranyother purpose.

ln the form illustrated in Figs. 13 to l? inclusive, the index plated@is mounted upon a hub with which the ratchet 623 is provided in thisarrangement; the inde): fastened* together by means oi: sc 42D to movein unison, as illustrated inhig. i3. lt will be understood that theindex plat corresponds to the index plate l2 of the iforin irstdescribed and likewise may be iormed with plurality ot recesses orapertures d3 similarly arranged in series o Z), c, ci', c, f, f/ and fr,these apertures or recesses cooperting inthe same way ih the loca ing`pin 39 to adjust the mechan m, and havin been omitted from Fig. lllsimply to avoid a confusion ot lines therein. ll ith this ar'-rangement, the ratchet 63 which corresponds tothe ratchet 63 of theiirst term and the connected ind 2r plate 4t2 are loosely mounted uponthe hollow spindle '18. ln the form now being` oescribed, the Vindexactuating member 5ft, Vinstead ot being loosely mounted upon the spindle.i8 as is the member 54T in theiirst form, is looselyY mounted upon thepreviously mentioned huh ot the ratchet 63a. ln the present instance,

this index actuating member 5e@ is provided on its one :tace withundercut annular grooves in which internally screwthreaded sleeves 54bare located, said sleeves projecting' into co-operati'ngr recessesformed in auxiliary member 54; which lies in surface engagement with themember 5@ and is secured iniixed relation thereto or released therefromthrough the medium ot screws 54d which screw into the sleeves 54?; asshownin Fig. 13, the auxiliary member 54:0 and themember 54a togetherform what may be termed a two-part actuatingmemberfthe purpose oi whichwill appear more fully hereinafter. For convenience of opmay beconstructed vwith heads provided with apertures 542@ adapted to receiveand accommodate a Vsuitable tool. The indexv actuatingineniber 54 iesthe litt i 5G whereby the latchpin le is depressed in the operation ofthe mechanism. in the same manner as hereinbetore described. ssubstitute for the projecorm, `the arrangement at present beingdescribed includesV a stop 649 carried by the auxiliary member andarranged to abut against the housingl5 will be moreV fully describedhereinafter, instead ot against the stop 65, as Figs. l to l inclusive.lnstead ott the toothed pawl '60 shown in Fig. the Jform ot apparatus atpresent being descrbedncludestoothed reci: 60,a inmint ed in a suitablerecess 60?), formed in the au'iliary member lcand normally occupying theposition illustrated in Figfll;

The catch 60d is further provided with a recesso()h in whichV a holt 60iis slidably mountenu said bolt being provided with handle 605 extendingYthrough a slot @Okrin the catch 60d for convenience of manipulation. Thebolt VGO is movable to an operative position beyond the one endgic theraolr'tSOt` for maintaining the latter in an inoperative position, asshown in Fig. i5, for the purpose to be more fully describedhereinafter. v The catch 60?, in addition to its other unctions,talestheV place of the tripping member of the first form and at the propertime trips the trigger i9 to releasethe latch bolt l/l and is itselfactuated by engagement with saidtrigger, to release the toothed rac-lra, as willbe more` tully described hereinafter. the parts so tardescribed, the present torni oit my invention includes'a locking devicelnv addition to Y the catch member (iOf, at all 'i soV which, in itsillustrated' form, comprises a support 67 securedupon the member. 54eand provided with an internal gruideway 1n which a loclrinp; member '68is slidablymount- L Y en and Vadjustedvto andfrom an operative positionby means of a screw 69 provided with an operatingV head 70 locatedeXteriorly ot' the support 67. lt will be understood that while'thescrew is freely rotatable relatively to the support 67.` it is heldvagainst lengthwise lmovement relatively thereto by hundred teeth uponthe periphery of the blank in question. slt will'be understood that in fthis caseV also, this is only an example and; that the device may beotherwise used and that the gear teeth referred to are to be takenmerely as rep- Y resentative oit divisions into which the blank may bedivided automatically and efficiently with `the aid ot the 'apparatusherein described. To'bring about the proposed result,'the arm 36, it'not already in suchv position? is first 'adgusted as previouslydecomplished and twenty teeth have been cut thereon or said Work hasbeen adjusted to successive positions for the production thereon oftwenty divisions. The locating pinis now'withdravvn from the i'irstaperture ofthe series a and moved to a position inV Which it registersWith the second aperture of this series to readjust theVY parts in theVsaine manner las 'previously described,

Ythis operation beine' repeated each time a complete rotation or theblank has been had and twenty additional teeth have been cut thereon ortwenty additional divisions produced thereon, as the caseV may be. lnthe present instance, therefore, in which a hundred teeth ora hundreddivisions are being cut or produced upon the blank, the operationprovides for the adjusting of the blank to .five different positionsineao'h of which twenty teeth are cut or twenty di-V i visions Vareproduced in exactly the same 39and arm 36, to maintain the parts of themechanism and the `:vork in their adjusted relations. From theforegoing, itv Will. be

AUS

seen that the armt serves at the proper 'time to shift the Work or blankin succes# sive stages to a series ofpredetermined positions, eachhaving a starting point kadanced with respect totliat of the. preced-Ving stage so that the handle ant. its corelated parts actuate the Workrblank in successive steps in each stageto'bring it to a series ofpositions in `which the teeth maybe cut kor divisions or other devicesproduced successively upon the blank.

The apparatus is extremely simple in construction and ofv maximumedicion-cy and .operation and requires no skilled attention in itsmanipulation. it is particularly adapted for use in combination with amilling machine to adjust the Work pose of equally and accuratelydividing the saine in any predetermined manner and for any purpose suchas gear cutting, graduat` ing and, in fact, in any case Where a circle,in the forni of Work, is to be divided. The operative movementsrequii'edfto actuate the device are continuous in a given direction andrequire no special thought on the part of the operator to besuccessfully carried out. In the illustrated examples, and moreparticularly in the formshown in Figs. 13 to 17, these movements must becarried to completion in each instance be-V fore another movement may bestarted; the

for the purraeaosi device, as a result, is very` accurate and constantin its functions and may be operated at high speed.

It will be understood that the clutch arrangement illustrated may be,replaced by otherforms and types of devices for holding and supportingthe Work.

'il/various changes in the specilicV forni shown and described may bemade Within the scope of the claiinswvithout departing from the spiritof my invention.

.l claim: Y Y

l.' A dividingV head comprising rotatable means for 'supportingthefvrorln actuating means successive stages, each of which includessuccessive steps corresponding to predetermined divisions oftheperiphery Vof Vthe work and .means for adjusting the position of theWork With vrespect tosaid actuating f means to rotatably advance eachsuccessive stage with respect to the preceding one.

V2. A. dividing head comprising a headstock, a shaft journalled therein,`means, on

lsaid shaft for supporting thereonfthe blank to be divided, actuatingmechanism loosely mounted Von said shaft and arranged to be rockedthereon, means for *coupling said Vmechanism to said shaft andforrotatably adjusting the latter relatively thereto to rotatably advancethe blank, Vand means for locking said .couplingV means and shaftrotation during va Amovement ofrecovery of said actuatingmechanism.

A dividing head comprising a Vheadsaid shaft for supporting thereontheblank to be divided, 1an actuating member arto be rooked'relativelyto saidshaft, means for coupling saidsliaftto'said member during amovement. ofthe latter in an operative direction, a device for rotatablyYadjusting said shaft with respect to said foirotating said rotatablevmea-ns inV .100 stock, a shaft journalledtherein, nean's onv noV izo

ing member loosely mounted on said shaft, U

a ratchet Wheel .fixed on said. shaft, a pawl carried by said memberwhereby the latter is operatively connected to said ratchet and therebycoupled to said' shaft, said pawl hav-` ing a predetermined movementrelatively to said ratchet- Wheel rior to *becoming locked therewith,wherebyV said actuating member is capable of an initial iat movementindependent of said shaft, a toothed index plate loosely mounted on saidshaft and'having apertures locatedl in groups upon a face thereof,aspring-pressed latchpin co-operating with said teeth to lock said indexplate against rotation, an arm lixed upon said shaft and adapted torotatably adjust the latter with respect to said actuating member, aspring-pressed locating pin co-opcrating with said apertures to loclrsaid arm in an adjusted position, a pivoted cam member carried by .saidactuating member for releasing said latch-pin from theV teeth of saidindex plate during said initial independent movement of said actuatingmember, a trigger for maintaining said latch-pin in its inoperativeposition and av tripping icmber carried by said actuating member andadjustable toward and away from said cam to trip said trigger and permitsaid latch-pin to re-engage said teeth. K

5. A dividing head comprising a headstoclr, a shape journalled thereinand arranged to carry the work to be divided, a ratchet wheel looselymounted upon said lshaft and having a hub, an index plate secured tosaid ratchet to move therewith, actuating means loosely mounted upon thehub of said ratchet wheel, a rack slidably mounted upon said actuatingmeans for cooperation with said ratchet wheel, a device for rotatablyadjusting said shaft with respect to said ratchet wheel and index plateto shift the work to new positions, said device cooperating with saidindex plate to fix the parts in an adjusted relation, means for lockingsaid index plate against rotation during the adjustment of the device'and during a movementof the actuating means in a return direction andmeans for releasing said locking means to permit said index plate andratchet wheel to moveV with said shaft by means of said pawl Yduring theoperative movement of said actuating means.

6. A dividinghead comprising a head- -stocln a shaft journalled therein,a ratchet wheel loosely mounted on said shaft, actuating `meansrotatable relatively to said ratchet wheel, a pawl rack slidablv carriedby said actuating means whereby the latter is operatively connected tosaid ratchet, said pawl rack having a predetermined movement relativelyto said ratchet wheel prior to becoming locked therewith, whereby saidactuating means is capable of an initial movement independent of saidratchet wheel,

a toothed index plate connected with saidV ratchet wheel to movetherewith and having apertures located in groups upon a face thereof, aspring-pressed latch-pin cooperating vwith saidteeth to lock said indexplate against rotation, an arm fixed upon said shaft andadapted torotatably adjust the latter with respect' to said actuating means, jaspring-pressed locating pin cooperating with said apertures toloclr'said arm in an adjusted position, a pivoted cam .member carried bysaid actuating means for releasing said latch-pin from the teeth of saidindex plate during said initial independent movement of said actuating`means, a trigger for maintaining said latch-pin in its inoperativeposition and a tripping device carried by said Iactuating means wherebysaid vpawl rack is locked in engagement with saidl ratchet wheelandwhereby said trigger istripped to permit said latch-pin to re-engagesaid teeth.

7. A dividing head comprising a. headstock, a shaft journalled therein,means on said shaft for supporting thereon the blank to be divided, atwo-part actuating member mounted to rock relatively to said shaft,means whereby the two parts of said actuating member are loclredtogether, a combined Vratchet wheel and index member to move with saidshaft during the operative `movement of said actuating member, and

means carried bythe other part of said actuating member and acting as alock for maintaining-said pawl in connectionwitli said ratchet wheel andasa. trip to release said locking member from its inoperative positionand being itself concurrently tripped to release said pawl. i i y Intestimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

Josnri-i A. Ferraris;

